Crows 3 win in rearranged match

Crows Men’s 3 team achieved their best result of the season with a 3-1 win over third-placed Caversham Park 4 to close in on the chase for promotion and at least move away from the relegation places. Andy Stone and Vince Brooks had a solid start against the visitors first pair with a 6-2 6-2 win over the talented but somewhat erratic Lorenzo Rulfo and Jake Dellow. Steve Stow and Mike Smith found Gianluca Roglietti and Martin Hedges a much tougher proposition, losing the first set 4-6 and then winning the second by the same score. The deciding tie-break went 10-7 to the Crows pair with the final long rally being the last of several long exchanges during the match.

With a set needed to ensure at least 2 points, Stow and Smith played well to take the first set 6-2 against Rulfo and Dellow but squandered a lead in the second, losing it 4-6 against a pair who appeared to raise their game just as the home pair were tiring. Meanwhile, Stone and Brooks secured the three points by squeezing through 7-6 against Roglietti and Hedges in the first set and taking the second 6-4. So, although Stow and Smith were disappointed to lose their second deciding tie-break of the morning 8-10, it was a valuable win for the Crows four after a very close and enjoyable match.